Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Choices in life - WE make

It was a nice surprise . We all have a sweet tooth and I am no exception.  Given it’s a festive air all around with EID and today being Teej , I was craving for ‘ghevar ‘ .  You get this superb thing this point in time and it’s a no miss .

To top it all I got a beautiful email and a tweet followed from one of my readers . Though out of the many things she asked me and shared , one thing which stood apart , is what I am going to share or write today .

She candidly asked me that how do I deal with choices . Choices to write on my personal webpage, choice of not writing and a choice of writing and not sharing .Huh ! Too many choices , you see. 

I will start by sharing an interesting thing which I read a while back during my trip to Jaipur.

“You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act. You may say that you had to do something, or that you were forced to, but actually, whatever you do, you do by choice. Only you have the power to choose for yourself."


Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

My situation was like this a while back.  And then I did something which one of special ones shared .The enlightened person said - ‘Keep a balance between your head and your heart – you don’t want to throw logic out of the window, however it’s important to listen to your gut.’ And I took a strong step in this direction.

Choices are something that we get every day . Waking up is a choice and marrying someone you don’t want to is also choice . Changing for someone whom you love is also a choice and taking a step back from doing something wrong is also a choice. What is important is that where in life you stand and at that point what is it that matters you most , positively.  At times , choices you make effect not only you but also your surrounding and the people associated with you .  A decision once made should have one persons’ full buy-in and that person is – YOU.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future. Give , like I always say and do  - your 100% . 

As for me, I chose to share this with you all :)  . So go ahead ,  make choices that not only make you happy but also your near and dear ones smile.  And in case , it didn't work well , its OK. Learn and move on but never forget.


Saturday, July 12, 2014

Inspire a fragrance - Mussorie & Chakrata

This may be a bit surprising but then Jaipur is something that I have explored enough. And now it was time to step-out of the Delhi heat ( which is never ending ) and head to the mountains.

Mussorie 

Being from a hill state myself , its an awesome sight to visit any hill state or a hill station . So ,it was Mussorie . People know it as the   "Gateway" to Yamunotri and Gangotri Shrines of Northern India . My take - it used to be beautiful but now its a lost charm unless and until you are either staying at a place outside Mussorie or may be in cantonment area. Crowded to hell , hotel and resorts , half of the folks are from Punjab and Haryana and not to forget the traffic stuck which happen right from Dehdradun.

To escape all this , try staying at the beautiful The Claridges Nabha Residence, summer retreat of the erstwhile Maharaja of Nabha, the heritage hotel set amid 13 acres of private cedar and silver oak forest and only a single-storey colonial building, opens out into a central courtyard and provides a sweeping view of the garden and the rolling green hills.


Nabha Palace , Mussorie 
It was love at first sight .  

My pick of the two key places to visit in case you are a first timer here are: 


  • Kempty Falls
  • Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
  • Camel Back road
  • Dhanaulti



Chakrata

A far better pick than Mussorie would be Chakrata which can be reached from Dehradun via Mussoorie or Vikasnagar. Both routes pass through beautiful mountainous road. Travelling in the monsoon can be quite tricky as the area sees frequent road blockages due to landslides.






The area has an abundance of conifers, rhododendrons and oaks. The red rhododendrons are the most abundantly found in this region. A key attraction near Chakrata is the waterfall named Tiger Fall. A secluded -nearby, leafy hamlet of Deoban offers a panoramic view of the Himalayas stretching from Kinnaur to Garhwal and Kumaon.

It rains almost everyday here and with its limited population its a place you would love to stay around more than you thought of. 


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Plan a vacation and I am sure besides unwinding you would love to breathe in some fresh air .  And , I am a message away in case you need any further details on any of the above. 


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What's more ?  Thats what I think every-time I come back from the hills . What is that one thing I can bring back with me to remind me of the calmness and the sheer happiness which I experience . And I always thought of a 'fragrance '  . Inspired by hills which has a cooling effect on you and soothens you everytime you breathe in. When it rains in the hills and the connect which the droplets have with the ground and smell that raises from the ground - That ! Only if I wish folks from the Godrej ( http://www.godrejaer.com/ ) who really do an awesome stuff with creating fragrances that connect with your senses , create something unique from this experience. #InspireAFragrance as we call. 


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It feels nice when you WIN. It also feels nice when your work gets appreciated . Thanks to the aer & IndiBlogger team , this blog post won a #Godrej gift hamper . Small surprises are the most cherished ones !! Winners list here .


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Connect with me on :

Personal webpage – www.karankumar.com
Twitter handle – @karansayz

Instagram - http://instagram.com/karansayz

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